


To Take Her Home

by takemetofantasyland



Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: Canon Universe, F/M, some implication of sexual content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-12-31 22:19:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18323078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takemetofantasyland/pseuds/takemetofantasyland
Summary: Paulina proposes a challenge to Marfa one night when they see General Vaganov walking home for the evening. Marfa accepts, but soon loses sight of whether she's playing to prove Paulina wrong, or because she actually has feelings for the general.





	1. The General's Coat

Marfa stood against a wall on Theater Street with her arms crossed. As the sun set over St. Petersburg, she pulled her coat close and hugged her arms closer to her body. Quick footsteps drew her attention, and she turned to see Paulina walking around the corner. Paulina grumbled and slumped to the floor to sit beside her. 

“Quick to arrest people, but not so quick to being anywhere on time, I suppose.” Paulina sighed. 

Paulina kicked at a rock on the ground and crossed her arms in discontent. 

Marfa snickered as she shifted her weight beside her. “You know they come later, those boys would hate to have someone see them with an escort.” She replied, the corner of her lip pulling into a knowing grin.

“I know they’re regulars, but I could’ve had another client already tonight!” Paulina grumbled, “and you know those merchants at the bar are a quick and easy job.”

Marfa laughed as she shook her head. 

Three officers walked down the street, silhouetted by the street lamps in their long, uniform coats.  Marfa offered her hand to Paulina to help her to her feet. Marfa and Paulina knew the routine. The General, the tallest of the three, would bid the other two a good night, and turn down the alley. 

“Of course, General Vaganov wouldn’t have his nose caught here,” Paulina sneered. “No one is getting anywhere with him.”

Just as they suspected, the third man paused to speak to the other two, turned on his heel, and walked the other direction. 

Marfa smiled as she watched the general on the other side of the alley. Paulina watched her gaze and tried to follow where her eyes fixed. 

The general had become an infamous prize to be won between Marfa, Paulina and Dunya. He had threatened to arrest them for soliciting on the street several times, but Marfa had yet to see him give any more than a warning. Though other officers were known to turn a blind eye to solicitation because they took their services after hours. But General Vaganov, she had never seen him even walk down the alleyway after hours. 

Paulina’s lips curled into a grin as she watched Marfa watching the general down the alleyway. “I dare you to get the general to take you to bed.” Paulina let out a shrill laugh. 

Marfa’s eyes fixed on him. If anyone was going to get the general to take their service, it would be her. Paulina’s challenge only made her want him more. 

“I’ll do it.” Marfa replied, her eyes still cast on his figure. 

She turned to look back at Paulina as she playfully took a step in his direction.

“Marfa! It was a joke!” Paulina gasped. 

“Unlike you, Paulina, I take all my clients seriously,” Marfa unbuttoned her overcoat in the brisk air. “The general works hard to keep our city safe, I think he could use a little stress relief, don’t you?”

Paulina rolled her eyes. “If you lose your wage tonight, I’m not paying for your share of bread.”

“Well, I won’t be going hungry,” Marfa replied. 

The two commanders approached Paulina as Marfa shrugged her coat off and handed it to Paulina. The commanders gave Marfa a confused look as she started off in pursuit.

“Sorry boys, it’s just me tonight,” Paulina shrugged, calling their attention back to her. “Either one, or if you don’t mind sharing.”

“Is she off to General Vaganov?” One of the commanders asked. “She must be a fool giving up her wage, Vaganov doesn’t pay escorts. He’s a straight laced stick in the mud.”

Paulina shrugged as she watched Marta’s quick steps, her lips curled into the smile Paulina only saw when Marfa was after something she wanted. “She’s a fool, alright.” Paulina muttered.

Marfa rounded the corner in her pursuit. Just when she thought she had lost him, she spotted the general walking alone. She took a deep breath and smiled as she caught up to him. 

“Good evening, General.” She said softly, coming to his side.

His long stride came to a sudden halt.

He inhaled sharply as he turned to look at her. “Good evening, comrade. It’s quite late for a young lady to be out on the streets.”

He cleared his throat as he examined her, eyes scanning up and down. 

“I agree, I was only heading home myself,” Marfa replied. “I’ve just wandered quite far and the sun has gone down. I just don’t feel safe walking back to the house. Perhaps you could walk me?”

“It would be my pleasure. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to you this fine evening.” The corner of his lip tugged into a smile. 

Marfa began to walk, biting her lip to keep herself from grinning, when she noticed he wasn’t walking with her. 

Gleb unbuttoned his thick overcoat. Marfa stopped and looked back as he paused and  shrugged the coat off. He took a few steps to her, and gently draped it around her shoulders. 

Her heart pounded at the tenderness of the general with an ice cold reputation. She hadn’t accounted for that. 

“Thank you, General Vaganov.” She said warmly, forgetting her pursuit for just a moment. 

“It is my duty,” he said quietly, clearing his throat. 

“When was the last time you had a warm, home cooked meal, General?” Marfa asked. “Surely you have a wife who treats you well?”

The General frowned at her blatant step into his boundary. “I am not married, no.”

“A handsome General with no betrothed?” Marfa pretended to gasp,  “Why, I simply don’t believe it! Any woman in St. Petersburg would be lucky to have a smart man like yourself.”

He shifted uncomfortably as they walked, running his fingers through his hair. 

“Yes, well, that is very personal. I am a busy man with a city to look after.” He brushed her off rather quickly.

“Perhaps I could make you a meal.” Marfa suggested. 

The General stopped in his tracks. Marfa pulled his coat closer around her body and turned to look at him. 

“I cannot accept it.”

“General, you’re being ridiculous. One meal, so I can show my gratitude.”

He shook his head. “I will walk you home, as that is my duty, but I cannot accept a meal. But thank you.”

Marfa’s plan had fallen flat. General Vaganov was like a puzzle she couldn’t quite figure out. Usually offering a meal to men without wives did the trick. Her brow knit as she refused to let a little challenge stop her. He was just going to need to be worn down. 

He walked her short of a few blocks away from the building where she, Dunya and Paulina shared a room. 

“Right here is fine, General, I can make it two blocks.” Marfa said quickly. 

“No, I can take you right to your home,” He gestured down the street. 

“No!” Marfa said quickly, realizing what a mistake she had made. “I mean, no. I’ll be alright.”

She shrugged his coat off and held it out to him. 

Gleb held a hand up to refuse the coat. “Keep it tonight, comrade. I believe you need it more than I do.”

“But how will I-?” Marfa asked. 

“You knew where to find me, I suspect you know how to return a coat.” He said with a soft smirk. “Have a good night, now.” He nodded to her. 

“Good night, General.” Marfa said softly as she clutched his coat to her chest. 

* * *

Marfa held the coat and inhaled the deep, musky scent that lingered in the wool. She had gently folded the generals coat and held it in her lap as she lay on a bag of lentils in the girls’ bedroom.

“What is that?” Dunya asked as she walked by. 

“Nothing,” Marfa replied. 

Dunya gasped as she took a closer look. “Did you keep a commander’s coat? Marfa! That’s breaking the rules!”

“I didn’t keep the commander’s coat, he gave it to me!” Marfa snapped. She sunk down as she held the coat, trying to keep it away from Dunya’s gaze. 

“Marfushka,” Dunya said, disappointment in her tone. 

“It’s not breaking the rule! He said I could return it when I didn’t need it any longer.”

“You don’t need it, you have a coat!” Dunya protested. 

Marfa frowned and her lip pouted. 

“Or do you just like the attention from the commanders?” Dunya sneered. 

The door to their bedroom opened and both Marfa and Dunya started. 

Paulina sighed as she pushed the door open and shut it behind her. “Home so soon, Marfushka?” She teased. 

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Marfa replied. 

Paulina smirked and shook her head. 

“She got the commander’s coat!” Dunya squealed. 

“Dunya!” Marfa snapped, reaching out to try to quiet her. . 

“Marfa!” Paulina snapped as she pulled her coat off. “You know we don’t keep souvenirs!”

“I didn’t keep it, General Vaganov lent it to me!” Marfa protested. 

“General Vaganov?” Dunya asked, “we’ve all tried, he doesn’t take from the street.”

“Paulina dared me, and I’m going to do it. I’m going to be the first to wear him down.” Marfa said as she got up from the sack of lentils, Gleb’s coat still clutched tight to her chest.  

“Well, anyway, here’s your coat you left behind.” Paulina sighed as she tossed Marfa’s coat to her. “I’m going to bed.”

Marfa gently set her own coat aside and sat on a stool. She pulled her braid out and gently combed her fingers through her hair. “He’s not married, you know,”

“So?” Paulina asked as she pulled her stockings off, and slipping out of her garter belt.

Marfa smirked as she watched her. “So Dunya was wrong. It’s not because he’s married he refuses. He just is a little harder to get to. But you can keep picking up the fallen fruit. I’ll be reaching to pick my own.”

“God, shut up Marfa!” Paulina snapped. “I had to take both of those officers since you ran off on a whim.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t get paid for it.” Marfa crossed her arms. She eased herself down to the floor while Paulina took her turn on their cot. 

Marfa curled up with the general’s coat, remembering his generosity, as Paulina scoffed and rolled over, pulling the blanket to her chin. Perhaps there was more to her desire than just proving Paulina wrong. 


	2. Theatre Street

Gleb sat at his desk, hand scrawling a letter. The room was silent, only the scratching of his pen on parchment and the tick of the clock in the room keeping a rhythm as he wrote. It was evening, and his day was quickly drawing to end. A sharp knock came to his office door. 

“General Vaganov, you have a visitor.” One of the officers warned him. 

His hand paused as he looked up at the door. He hadn’t been expecting anyone. 

“Send them in, please,” he replied. It was his duty to serve the public, after all. 

The officer nodded and gestured to the door. A young woman with a frizzy braid and a long overcoat stepped into his office. She was holding a coat over her arm. 

Gleb looked up at the woman, as soon as his eyes met hers he froze. 

“You!” Gleb snapped.

The officer quickly shut the door behind him as he exited the room. 

“What?” The young woman snapped back at him

Gleb’s mouth gaped as he searched for something to say. He quickly stood up and straightened himself out. “What are you doing here?”

“There’s no need to be defensive, general, I was just returning your coat,” Marfa said smartly. 

She approached his desk and held his coat out to him. 

Gleb snatched it away from her. He glared at her as he smoothed his coat, and walked over to hang it on the coat hook. “Don’t think I don’t know who you are.”

“I’m sure you know very well who I am,” Marfa teased. 

“I see you on Theatre street with your little friend, and–and don’t think you’re getting away with your–your display–“ Gleb swallowed hard. His eyes scanned over Marfa. She was dressed decently, today. 

“Very eloquent, sir.” Marfa smirked. “If you have a problem with it, why don’t you arrest me? Take me right here, right now.” She held her wrists out to Gleb and his lip curled. 

“You wouldn’t want to go to jail,” he shook his head. He gently folded his arms behind his back as he stared down at his boots. 

“At least they’d feed me!” Marfa protested. 

Gleb leaned over his desk as he looked her, bracing himself against the desk as he lowered himself to her eye level. “They don’t allow hiking your skirts up and making a disgusting display of yourself in jail!”

“Ha! So you don’t avert your eyes!” Marfa cried as she leaned over his desk, her face mere inches from his. 

“How can I? You’re making a public display of yourself!” Gleb cried as he straightened out and threw his hands out.

“But you could look the other way!”

There was a beat between them. 

“It is my duty to keep this city in order, my eyes are everywhere.” He cleared his throat. 

“If I’m so vile, why don’t you lock me up? Then you wouldn’t have to look at me!” Marfa snapped, gently hiking up the hem of her skirt.

Gleb’s eyes widened as he watched her.  

“Because–because I have people stealing items from the palace, I have men causing raucous in the marketplace with their stupids cons, and I have a delusional street sweeper posing as the grand duchess Anastasia on my plate, your services are not a top priority of mine.” He spat quickly.

“You could have me right here if you wanted.”

“Please, go home, Marfa,” his voice was low as he cast his eyes away from her. 

Marfa stood for a moment, watching him. Her fingers balled into a fist in her skirt and she released it. 

“Perhaps you should rearrange your priorities.” Marfa replied. 

Gleb watched as she turned on her heel and walked out of the office. 

* * *

“How’s it going with the general, Marfa?” Paulina teased as her eyes watched the men passing by on the street. “You’ve been home every night this week, so it’s going as well as I would expect.”

Marfa frowned as she walked with Paulina. “It’s taking its course,”

Paulina smirked. Marfa hated that Paulina was eating up every second she lost with Gleb. 

Marfa looked across the square to see a young woman carrying a broom. The young woman walked nervously, mindful of her surroundings. Marfa has seen her out on the street before, but something about her was odd. She didn’t walk or move like a person who was right-minded. And the woman paused to check her pocket. She glanced over her shoulder as she tucked a few notes into her pocket. 

A young man walking on the opposite side of the street slung his bag over his shoulder as he hurried to meet the young street sweeper. The street sweeper was reluctant around him, but seemed comfortable with him. 

“That’s what you said about Dmitry.” Paulina jeered in Marfa’s ear as she watched the pair. Marfa’s lip curled as her ears burned a bright red.  

“Dmitry was different,” Marfa replied. “His mind is somewhere else. Flattery is the only way to get through to him.”

“Well he’s got that stupid street sweeper wrapped around his finger.” Paulina replied. “Oh of course you’re the long lost Grand Duchess, my lady!” Paulina mocked and bowed. “God, and she’s stupid enough to believe him!”

Paulina and Marfa watched the pair. The young woman handed him several folded notes. He tried to refuse. 

“Do you think they’re sleeping together?” Paulina asked. “That’s the only reason I could see him picking her for his grand scheme out of Russia.”

Marfa watched as he spoke quietly to the streetsweeper. The woman shook her head, “I trusted you!”

“I don’t think there’s much sleeping going on, wherever they’re staying.” Marfa replied.

Paulina giggled next to her. Marfa’s brow arched as she watched the pair begin to argue.

“They’re both crazy,” Marfa muttered. “C’mon Polly, we have better things to do than to trick a delusional street sweeper into thinking you’re actually going to get out of Russia.”

Marfa and Paulina continued down the street to a small alleyway. Paulina checked behind them before they ducked into a stairwell and climbed up the staircase to a small room. 

Marfa pulled a half of a loaf of bread from a her bag and tore it in half, offering the rest to Paulina. Paulina graciously accepted and took a bite. 

“You’re back early,” a third woman sat up from a sack of lentils. 

“It’s looking dull out there, Dunya,” Paulina replied. “But we saw Dmitry out there, courting his Grand Duchess Anastasia.”

“I wouldn’t call it courting, she looked like she was about to strangle him,” Marfa replied quietly as she pulled an apple and a pocket knife from her bag. 

“Well, we’ve all been there, right Marfusha?” Paulina teased, “Or perhaps you’re still looking for a dose of the general?”

“Shut up!” Marfa snapped as she pointed her knife at Paulina.

Paulina gasped and let out a shrill laugh. Marfa cut a piece off the apple and handed it to Dunya. 

“Patience is key, Paulina. Part of the rewards is wearing him down.” Marfa said smartly. 

* * *

That evening Marfa started out alone. The girls rarely went out to solicit alone, for their own safety, but Marfa knew she wasn’t going to get what she wanted with eyes looking on. She knew the time, she knew the place, she just needed to be there.

Marfa stood on Theatre Street, where she, Paulina and Dunya often parked themselves to wait on the finest crop of officers who were looking to keep their affairs a secret. It wasn’t a bad deal on their part. The men were decent looking, and with their positions as officiers, often paid well. Marfa waited alone under a streetlamp. 

The night dragged on and the officers came and went, overlooking the somewhat empty street. Her body ached from standing for hours in the cold. Just as she had about given up, she slouched down to the curb of the street. 

“Excuse me,”

Marfa looked up to see the silhouette of a man wearing a long overcoat. Her first instinct was panic and she scrambled to her feet. “I was just on my way home!” she managed before turning on her heel. 

He grabbed her arm and spun her around. Marfa locked eyes with him and found herself gazing into a pair of dark eyes she had found herself dreaming about. 

“General,” Marfa whispered. 

He released his grip and straightened his coat, clearing his throat. “Please, call me Gleb.”

“Gleb?” 

He nodded. 

Marfa gazed into his eyes trying to get a read on him. “Why are you here?” she asked. 

He was stoic, “I didn’t see much action on Theatre Street as I was going home.”

“Were you looking for some?” Marfa asked as she arched her brow. 

“No, but it would be perhaps out of the ordinary.” Gleb replied. “Where are your little friends?”

“They don’t fare too well on these cold evenings, sir.” Marfa replied. 

Gleb nodded. “You don’t look so well yourself.”

“I’d like to go home, sir.”

“I could walk you,”

“I can’t let you do that. I have to protect my comrades.” Marfa replied. 

“Then perhaps a drink?” Gleb offered. 

“You would be seen with a lowly woman like me in a bar?” Marfa asked. 

Gleb unbuttoned his coat and pulled out a silver flask. He unscrewed the cap and handed it to Marfa, “After you.”

Marfa took the flask and stared at him. He gestured to the flask and to drink up. Marfa caught the scent of vodka and quickly put the flask to her lips to take a swig. She swallowed hard, clenching her jaw to keep a straight face. 

Her eyes locked with Gleb’s as she handed the flask back. He quickly took a drink and rubbed a hand over his tired face. 

“Better?” he asked. 

Marfa nodded, still unsure of his motive. 

Gleb gestured to walk and Marfa walked alongside him. “I have far greater things to worry about than what you do in your free time.”

“But wouldn’t you like to know what I do in my free time?” Marfa asked. 

The general appeared to choke on his own words. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her. “I try not to think about it.”

Marfa’s lips curled into a devilish grin.

“Not because of what you think. That’s indecent. I simply prefer to focus on other problems.”

“You don’t even know what I do because you refuse to let yourself know.” Marfa snapped. “You say you look at us, but do you really?”

Gleb clenched his jaw.

“What are you trying to avert yourself from?” Marfa demanded, “This?” she asked as she hiked her skirt up to her thigh, where her garter met her stocking. 

Gleb’s face flushed and he shifted uncomfortably. “Marfa, please,”

“You’re no better than your officers, you just like to act like you are,” Marfa snapped. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment of ever thinking her was different. She didn’t even want to play this stupid game Paulina had challenged her to anymore. Marfa gently gave Gleb a shove in her frustration and he stumbled out onto the street. Marfa started down the street alone. 

Gleb watched her, his mouth gaping to reply. She was already gone, without even looking over her shoulder. 


End file.
